1. Field of the Invention
This invention is broadly concerned with a tape measure device for digitally indicating a measured length thereon and intended particularly to be used in a physical examination and a measurement of a suit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tape measure device for indicating digital measured data has previously been assembled with an encased winding reel to collect a tape measure in a case and in such a state that it can be pulled out easily, some sprocket wheels responsive to the wind up of the tape measure and an encoder to detect the number of revolutions of one of the sprocket wheels. The measured data is determined based on the number of revolutions of the sprocket wheel or the tape measure length pulled out of the case.
Such a conventional tape measure is used in such a manner that a forward end of the belt tape member is first oriented to one side edge of an object to be measured by one hand and the case is then carried toward the other side edge of the object by the other hand while tape is pulled out of the case. The number of revolutions of the sprocket wheel in response to a pulled out amount of the tape is measured and displayed on the digital display. This case movement is continued until a slit provided in the case for facilitating an in-and-out movement of the tape reaches to the other side edge of the object. The necessary measured value is therefore known in a digital format through the digital display.
This type tape measure device involves a disadvantage in size because it has to house the winding reel for the tape measure and some sprocket wheels. To make the tape measure device small in size is naturally limited as the winding reel and the sprocket wheels have to have a certain size to facilitate a measurement for a long object and to convert the pulled out amount of the tape measure into the number of revolutions of the sprocket wheel.
As has been mentioned above, it can be said that the conventional tape measure device is not handy to carry, since the case size can not be made small. In particular, the case is not convenient to be held by one hand when measuring and to be moved onto and in contact with a periphery of an uneven object. This may be one of the main reasons that the general public today does not experience a fairly wide use of the digital-type tape measure device.
A negative factor to the miniaturization of the case may cause a limitation of measurement points. Taking for an instance to measure a bottom portion of a ditch, the case of the tape measure device should be able to enter into the ditch, which is generally impossible, so that the ditch which can only be measured by the conventional tape measure device necessarily having a large inside space in which to receive the tape measure device in its entirety.
It is an object of the present invention to break off such disadvantages and to provide a developed tape measure device which is handy to carry and further available to a long object with a relatively short tape measure.